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Wattle you do about the Detroit Lions’ annual troubles on Thanksgiving?

The Detroit-Green Bay rivalry starts at a young age. Two kids, a Lions fan and a Packers fan, cheer on their teams at the 2011 Thanksgiving Day game at Ford Field. The Lions and Packers renew their rivalry Thursday, with Detroit riding a nine-game Turkey Day losing streak. Photo: Getty Images

There is a perception that having a home game every U.S. Thanksgiving has been an advantage for the NFL’s Lions.

Nope.

The Lions have lost nine consecutive Thanksgiving Day games.

On Thursday, they take on the Green Bay Packers at Ford Field, poised probably to make quarterback Matt Flynn an overnight sensation again.

Flynn is in his sixth NFL season and during his career has had roughly, oh, one good game. That was almost two years ago. Against the Lions. The Packers backup quarterback threw for 480 yards and six touchdowns, shredding the Detroit defence.

Detroit Lions linebacker Stephen Tulloch gets set for U.S. Thanksgiving by posting this photo on Instagram of a turkey, all dressed, with the question, ‘Who says turkeys don’t have swag?’

Largely off that performance, Flynn got a three-year, $20.5-million contract with the Seattle Seahawks.

However, the quarterback couldn’t cut it in Seattle, nor Oakland, nor Buffalo, and now he is back in Green Bay subbing for injured starter Aaron Rodgers.

Really, it shouldn’t matter who starts for the Packers in Detroit.

These spectators at Ford Field last year aren’t giving away any team allegiances in the game between the Lions and Houston Texans. Maybe they’re simply Thanksgiving fans.

Gobbling up the losses

The Lions have lost 11 of their past 12 Thanksgiving games, including three to Green Bay (2007 ’09 and ’11). To paraphrase Tiger Williams, on the fourth Thursday in November the Lions traditionally are done like dinner.

The Lions and Packers have been regular foes in this game and Detroit once won five in a row against Green Bay, but that was back in the ’50s.

As for the Lions’ loss to Green Bay in 2011, a 27-15 decision, Detroit fans were more outraged that Nickelback had been booked for the halftime show.

The Thursday mystique

There is a long-held belief among some NFL team executives that the Lions get a break by being home on a short week while the opposing team has to travel.

A Detroit Lions fan honours her team and city at Ford Field.

But since the beginning of the tradition in 1934, the Lions are an unattractive 33-38-2 on Thanksgiving. As bad as the franchise has been, its overall home record otherwise is above .500.

As for the thought they are helped by the extra three days off after the game, the Lions also have a losing record on the week after Thanksgiving.

The Dallas Cowboys, who have been home for the second game on Thanksgiving almost continuously since 1966, are 28-17-1 on the holiday, but they have been a far superior team to Detroit over the decades.

To assuage other teams clamouring for Thanksgiving dates, the NFL added a third Turkey Day game to the schedule in 2006 as well as a weekly a Thursday night game.

The glory days

The Lions have had stretches of competence during the past 30 years. Their fans remember well the hallowed years of the Wayne Fontes era, 1988 through 1996, when they were darn near .500 overall and posted a sterling 5-4 record on Thanksgiving.

Thanksgiving highlights

1954: Detroit beat Green Bay 28-24, its 12th consecutive win over the Packers. Detroit finished the season 9-2-1 but lost the championship to Cleveland, 56-10.

1962: The Lions sacked Packers quarterback Bart Starr 11 times for 110 yards in a 26-14 Detroit win. It was the Packers’ lone loss that season.

1976: Buffalo Bills running back O.J. Simpson set an NFL rushing record with 273 yards, yet somehow the Lions won 27-14.

1986: The Packers’ Walter Stanley returned a punt 85 yards with 41 seconds left to account for a 44-40 Green Bay win. If you’re a Lions fan you can only shake your head.

2003: The Lions defeated Green Bay 22-14 as the defence forced five turnovers. Cornerback Dré Bly had two interceptions and was awarded Fox TV’s Galloping Gobbler award. Ever since then the Lions have been getting stuffed on Thanksgiving.

Discuss amongst y’all

Should the Lions get booted from their annual holiday extravaganza because of sheer ineptitude?